J. R. Reid


Herman "J. R." Reid Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association for the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Reid played college basketball for the North [Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina Tar Heels] and was a consensus first-team All-American as a sophomore in 1988. He won a bronze medal as a member of the United States men's national [basketball team|United States national team] at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Summer Olympics].

Early life

Reid was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and was the son of Herman Reid Sr., who played football in the 1960s with the Baltimore Colts. Reid played football himself in his early years as a defensive player and his gridiron skills even caught the attention of the Virginia Tech Hokies, but he decided to stick with playing basketball. Reid starred at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, being named the 1986 Gatorade and USA Today Player of the Year. He certified his reputation by being named most valuable player of both the 1986 McDonald's [All-American Boys Game|1986 McDonald's Game] and the Capital Classic.

College career

Reid played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1986 to 1989. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1987 as he averaged 14.7 points and 7 rebounds per game. During his freshman year at UNC, he was featured on the March 2, 1987 cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. During his sophomore season, he was named a consensus first-team All-American when he averaged 18 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Reid was named to the 1988 [United States men's Olympic basketball team] to compete at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He played in six games and averaged 6 points per game.

Professional career

He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the 5th overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft. On February 25, 1996, in a game against the Phoenix Suns, A.C. Green mentioned an incident at a New York City club before Reid hit him with a vicious right elbow in the mouth during the fourth quarter of the game, knocking out two of Green's teeth. Reid was suspended for two games and fined $10,000.
In the 1996–97 season, Reid played in France, winning the national championship with Paris Basket Racing. He returned to the NBA, before rounding out his professional career in France and Spain.
During his NBA career, he saw action in a total of 672 regular season games and 47 playoff games.

Post-playing career

After his NBA career, he competed to become an analyst on the former ESPN TV show Dream Job, but lost. In 2011, he was named an assistant coach for Patrick & Henry Community College. He joined the Monmouth Hawks men's basketball team in 2018 after being hired as an assistant to former UNC teammate King Rice. Reid stayed in that job until 2022.

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